Re-imagining Democracy, Dialogue For Inclusion Organized

A dialogue session "Re-imagining Democracy" was organized here on Tuesday by Blue Veins in which representatives from vulnerable communities including transgender, people with disabilities; religious minorities participated to give their view on democracy, its impact on society and expectations from a democratic and just society.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2018 ) :A dialogue session "Re-imagining Democracy" was organized here on Tuesday by Blue Veins in which representatives from vulnerable communities including transgender, people with disabilities; religious minorities participated to give their view on democracy, its impact on society and expectations from a democratic and just society.

Program Coordinator Blue Veins, Qamar Naseem said despite elections after every five years, freedom and democracy are actually in retreat as it has become only a mechanism for the peaceful arbitration of political rivalries, said a press release.

President Chairperson of the District Committee on the Status of Women Peshawar, Shaheen Quresh said democracy is more likely to develop and endure when marginalized segments of a society are free to participate and influence political outcomes without suffering discrimination or reprisal. But unfortunately, they are excluded in Pakistan based on their gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender identity or other identity factors".

Coordinator of the Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network, Taimur Kamal said, "Pluralism must be essence of the democracy which should include political pluralism, peaceful rotation of power, the right of all political parties to exist and organize cultural pluralism, religious pluralism, and gender pluralism. Pakistan is blessed with diversity and it must be seen as a strength not a weakness".

President of the Transgender Community, Farzana Riaz said, "People with gender variant identities in Pakistan are still struggling to be recognized as human beings in this society. The democracies of today can remain democracies only if they are able to negotiate pluralism and communality, conflict and justice, rationality and identities" A renowned religious scholar Mufti Jamil said: "Religion, pluralism and democracy are compatible they should be mutually reinforcing foundations of healthy, stable, and prosperous societies as religion and faith have provided humanity with ethical codes and spiritual guidance and comfort and has been a driving force for personal and social progress." Ayaz Khan a disability rights activist said lack of representation of People With Disability (PWD) is a serious threat to the inclusion of disabled people in policy matters, continuing barriers surrounding disabled people's equitable participation in social and economic life, means promises are not resultingin action. The participation of persons with disabilities in decision making processes is crucial"Coordinator, Bridge Organization, Shams Naveed said: "The minority's rights must be protected no matter how alienated a minority is from the majority society; otherwise, the majority's rights lose their meaning".